Intent
At Holy Family we want our children to enjoy and thrive in mathematics. We want them to be independent and ambitious mathematical learners so that their understanding is secure, supporting them initially so that they a well prepared for secondary school, but ultimately assisting them in whatever career paths they choose and in their daily lives. We want children to make rich connections across mathematical ideas, be fluent in the fundamentals and develop their mathematical reasoning and competence in solving sophisticated problems. We want our children to be confident mathematicians who have inquisitive minds, are unafraid of mistakes and have an interest in self-improvement.
Maths is taught on a daily basis following the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum, predominantly through the White Rose scheme. We adopt a ‘Maths Mastery’ approach whereby all children, regardless of starting point, will maximise their academic achievement and leave Holy Family Catholic Primary School with an appreciation and enthusiasm for the subject, resulting in a life-long positive relationship with mathematics.
Implementation
In years 1 to 6, the use of White Rose planning is adopted to ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of all children and our mastery approach, it allows opportunity for revisiting and retntion of previous learning, a clear sequence of ‘small-steps’ of learning and robust progression of skills and challenge. Teachers are confident that this scheme builds progressively on the previous year but also that they can manipulate this planning in order to meet the needs of their children.
Our ‘Maths Mastery’ approach ensures that in every lesson children are given the opportunity to become more fluent, to reason mathematically and to solve problems. Each lesson starts with a set of previously learnt maths so children can further embed their fluency, language and calculation methods. Lessons are delivered in ‘small steps of learning’ within a sequence, and include these mastery principles:
The children learning visually through a variation of concrete, pictorial and abstract approaches, helping them understand mathematical connections between different representations.
The children are stretched through mathematical language and questioning so that pupils can discuss, explain and debate the maths they are doing and so teaching staff can grow the children’s mathematical understanding.
The children are challenged to apply what they have learnt. We want our children to be fluent mathematicians, but also adventurous and experimental with a love of mathematical challenges and problems.
Our Maths Mastery approach means that all children experience success and achieve the learning intention. Learning is differentiated in a variety of ways to meet the needs of each specific child. For example – Pre-teach or re-capping sessions, additional adult support within the lesson, additional physical resources (place value chart, counters, dienes etc) within the lesson, follow-up interventions prior to next step in sequence of lessons or additional interventions such as precision teaching or mastery with number. Children stay together as a class and work in mixed ability groups of four (unless working with an adult) which change throughout the year. They are encouraged to collaborate so they learn and support each other further increasing their opportunity to achieve the learning intention and meeting the expectation of their year group. Each ‘small step’ within the sequence is displayed on the maths working wall, with appropriate vocabulary and modelling, so that children can know that they have been successful in their own learning and can see, and explain, the links to previous and future mathematical understanding.
Formative assessment within every lesson helps teaching staff to identify the children who need more support to achieve the intended outcome and who are ready for deeper learning through questioning or additional challenges.
In order to support teacher judgements, children are assessed each term using current and reliable assessments, inline with National Curriculum age related expectations. As with formative assessments, analysis of summative assessments feeds future planning.
The maths subject lead has overall responsibility for the progress of all children in maths throughout the school. Working with SLT, teaching practices and data are analysed and feedback is provided at pupil progress meetings and/or staff meetings informing on future actions and focuses.
In early years (EYFS), our maths curriculum covers Number, shape/space, patterns and measures, with number fluency being continually developed. Children participate in short maths sessions daily and are given time to explore mathematical concepts, develop understanding and practise taught skills through play. Maths can be found in all areas of the provision and children experience it in a purposeful and meaningful context within their child-initiated and/or adult directed activities/play. Children are encouraged to use their mathematical understanding and skills to solve real-life problems and teaching staff are experienced in identifying and extending opportunities to foster this provision.
Impact
The mathematics curriculum and Maths Mastery approach at Holy Family aims to make all children enthusiastic about learning maths and gain an appreciation of its importance in everyday life – they will understand maths rather than just do maths. The curriculum is designed to prepare children for a future both in and outside of education. The implementation of the well planned, small-step, sequenced learning leads to expected progress over time across all key stages relative to each child’s starting point. Those children who don’t, continue to receive appropriate and targeted support to close any gaps.
At each age appropriate level, children will have ‘Mastered’ a concept or skill when a child can show it in multiple ways, explaining their understanding using mathematical language and applying their understanding to solve problems in unfamiliar situations. Children will be able to demonstrate a quick recall of numerical facts and procedures, including recollecting their times-tables, as well as recognising different relationships and making connections between different areas of maths showing the flexibility to move between different contexts and representations while applying their knowledge.